Mr. Harald Doornbos is a veteran war reporter. He is no archetypicalhawk nor a staunch supporter of the United States. In fact, he used tobe a reporter for the communist newspaper 'De Waarheid' (The Truth, orPravda, if you like) before it went bust. (This doesn't necessarily meanhe was ever a communist, by the way. De Waarheid used to be a hugeemployer.)

However, this doesn't make him overly sympathetic towards GiulianaSgrena, the Italian journalist who was held hostage by Iraqi insurgents.Some snippets from this article which was published today in a DutchChristian broadsheet.

'Be careful not to get kidnapped,' I told the female Italian journalistsitting next to me in the small plane that was headed for Baghdad. 'Ohno,' she said. 'That won't happen. We are siding with the oppressedIraqi people. No Iraqi would kidnap us.'

It doesn't sound very nice to be critical of a fellow reporter. ButSgrena's attitude is a disgrace for journalism. Or didn't she tell meback in the plane that 'common journalists such as yourself' simply donot support the Iraqi people? 'The Americans are the biggest enemies ofmankind,' the three women behind me had told me, for Sgrena travelled toIraq with two Italian colleagues who hated the Americans as well.

(Doornbos goes on to explain how the women demeaned him for travellingas an embedded reporter with the US military, for security reasons. Theydidn't want to hear about any safety concerns.)

'You don't understand the situation. We are anti-imperialists,anti-capitalists, communists,' they said. The Iraqis only kidnapAmerican sympathizers, the enemies of the Americans have nothing tofear.

(Doornbos tells them they're out of their mind.)

But they knew better. When we arrived at Baghdad Airport, I was waitingfor a jeep from the American army to come pick me up. I saw one of theItalian women walking around crying. An Iraqi had stolen her computerand television equipment. They were standing outside shivering, waitingfor a cab to take them to Baghdad.

With her bias Sgrena did not only jeopardize herself, but due to herbehavior a security officer is now dead, and the Italian government(prime minister Berlusconi included) has had to spend millions of eurosto save her life. It is to be hoped that Sgrena will decide to have acareer change. Propagandist or MP perhaps. But she should give upjournalism immediately.